Building on the Nation’s Strength:  Heritage Language Speakers, a National R esource

Building on the Nation’s Strength:  Building on the Nation’s Strength:  Heritage Language Speakers, a Heritage Language Speakers, a

National ResourceNational Resource

Olga Kagan, Director, National Heritage Language Resource

Center

Language and Culture Summit, D.C.January 25

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“heritage languages as a national resource…”

R.D. Brecht & C.W. Ingold (2002) Tapping a National Resource: R.D. Brecht & C.W. Ingold (2002) Tapping a National Resource: Heritage Languages in the United States, National Foreign Heritage Languages in the United States, National Foreign Language Resource Center, Washington, DC.Language Resource Center, Washington, DC.

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Most Spoken Languages Other than English Most Spoken Languages Other than English in the U.S. (2009 American Community Survey, in the U.S. (2009 American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)U.S. Census Bureau)

U.S. Census Bureau. (2010). Table B16001: Language Spoken at Home by Ability to Speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over [data table]. American Community Survey 2009 1-year Estimates.

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LANGUAGES NUMBER OF SPEAKERS IN U.S.

Spanish or Spanish Creole:Spanish or Spanish Creole: 35,468,50135,468,501

Chinese:Chinese: 2,600,1502,600,150

Tagalog:Tagalog: 1,513,7341,513,734

French ((incl. Patois, Cajun):French ((incl. Patois, Cajun): 1,305,5031,305,503

Vietnamese:Vietnamese: 1,251,4681,251,468

German:German: 1,109,2161,109,216

Korean:Korean: 1,039,0211,039,021

Russian:Russian: 881,723881,723

Arabic:Arabic: 845,396845,396

Italian:Italian: 753,992753,992

Portuguese or Portuguese Creole:Portuguese or Portuguese Creole: 731,282731,282

French Creole:French Creole: 659,053659,053

Polish:Polish: 593,598593,598

Hindi:Hindi: 560,983560,983

Japanese:Japanese: 445,471445,471

Persian:Persian: 396,769 396,769 4

Heritage language Heritage language speakersspeakers

Working definition: Individuals who have been exposed to a

particular language in childhood but did not learn it to full capacity because another language became dominant.

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MYTHSMYTHSHL SPEAKERS ARE

•native speakers (Myth 1)

•same as L2 learners (Myth 2)

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Language Input

Native Speakers

HL Speakers

FL Learners

Family V V Community V V(-) Full educational system

V

FL classroom

V V

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NHLRC Survey: NHLRC Survey: Heritage Language Heritage Language

LearnersLearners

• An on-line survey• 1,800 responses• 22 languages• Survey Report http://www.nhlrc.ucla.edu

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Heritage Language Heritage Language Speaker: A profileSpeaker: A profile

• 77% U.S.born+arrived before 5 y.o.

• Use HL before starting school

• Continue using HL in limited ways

• I/A ACTFL (1/2 ILR) before literacy

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““I am like Swiss cheese”I am like Swiss cheese”

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Conditions of SuccessConditions of Success

1.1. High goalsHigh goals2. Time on task2. Time on task3. Special curriculum and materials3. Special curriculum and materials4. Instructor training4. Instructor training5. Motivating HL speakers5. Motivating HL speakers

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Making StridesMaking Strides

1. Language Flagships1. Language Flagships2. STARTALK2. STARTALK3. SLI, NSLI-Y and others3. SLI, NSLI-Y and others4. Title VI National Heritage Language 4. Title VI National Heritage Language Resource CenterResource Center

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Targeted Support forTargeted Support for

1. HL teacher preparation1. HL teacher preparation2. Motivational campaign2. Motivational campaign3. Internship and job 3. Internship and job opportunities for the HL learnersopportunities for the HL learners

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To concludeTo conclude

Heritage Language Speakers Heritage Language Speakers can become a true national can become a true national resource.resource.

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THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

OLGA KAGAN OLGA KAGAN [email protected]

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